random

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

ran·dom AW adjective, noun BrE [ˈrændəm] NAmE [ˈrændəm]
adjective
1. usually before noun done, chosen, etc. without sb deciding in advance what is going to happen, or without any regular pattern
•the random killing of innocent people
•a random sample/selection (= in which each thing has an equal chance of being chosen)
•The information is processed in a random order.
• (informal)He grabbed a pair of random jeans and an old red shirt.
•She dodged the random items that were on the concrete floor.
•I find and play a lot of random stuff— Bach, blues, bebop.
2. only before noun (informal) (especially of a person)not known or not identified
•Some random guy gave me a hundred bucks.
•You don't want some random dude telling you how to live your life.
3. (informal)a thing or person that is random is strange and does not make sense, often in a way that amuses or interests you
•Mom, you are so random!
•The humour is great because it's just so random and unhinged from reality.

Word Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘impetuous headlong rush’): from Old French randon ‘great speed’, from randir ‘gallop’.

Thesaurus:
random adj. usually before noun
•The names are listed in random order.
unsystematic • |disapproving haphazard • • indiscriminate • • disorganized •
Opp: systematic, Opp: predetermined
in a random/unsystematic/haphazard way
a random/haphazard approach
random/indiscriminate attacks

Example Bank:
•Questionnaires were sent to a random selection of households.
•Random checks are made on the goods leaving the factory.
•Random numbers are generated by the computer.
•The group to be studied was selected on a random basis.
•The names are listed in random order.
•The school introduced random drug testing.
•There's no motive for this kind of random killing.
•They interviewed a random sample of head teachers.
Idiom: ↑at random
Derived Words: ↑randomly ▪ ↑randomness
 
noun

Word Origin:
[random randomly randomness] Middle English (in the sense ‘impetuous headlong rush’): from Old French randon ‘great speed’, from randir ‘gallop’.